The Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction has received congressional recognition for its services.
Three Grand Junction firms are among the recipients of grants designed to help them with digital marketing.
Western Colorado Community College has been renamed CMU Tech as part of efforts to promote tech ed programs.
Mesa County real estate activity continues to lag behind last year, but the gap is expected to narrow.
A new federal rule dictates how employers inspect identity and work eligibility documents to support I-9 forms.
Is that person working for you an employee or an independent contractor? Check with the IRS to make sure.
Nate Knoll has held a lot of titles during his 23-year career in banking. He’s most excited about his latest title — president.
It’s not just because the position constitutes the realization of a long-term goal. Knoll expects to share what’s he learned over the course of more than two decades of work in the industry in his new role as a leader and mentor.
While the bank and local economy face both opportunities and challenges, he says he’s pleased to continue working for an organization that offers so much support to employees and communities. “That’s fun to be a part of and humbling to be a part of.”
Knoll became president of Alpine Bank Mesa County in July.
The bank maintains headquarters in Glenwood Springs and banking offices across Colorado. But one of the heaviest concentration of operations is located in Mesa County, Knoll says. The bank runs three branches in Grand Junction as well as branches in Clifton and Fruita. Employees in the downtown Grand Junction branch also handle various back office functions for the entire bank. About 300 employees work in Mesa County, he says, a number that makes Alpine Bank one of the larger employers in the area.
See BANKING page 18
STORY AND PHOTO BY PHIL CASTLEDalida Sassoon
Bollig, left, chief executive officer of the Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction, listens as U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert praises the organization for its efforts to start and grow businesses.
Boebert, a Republican from Colorado’s 3rd District, recognized the center during a presentation there.
(Business Times photo by Phil Castle)
An organization that in 2022 alone helped launch 26 new businesses and create 421 full-time jobs has received additional acclaim for its efforts.
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert returned to the Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction for a congressional recognition event.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
The Business Incubator Center is located at 2591 Legacy Way in Grand Junction. For more information about programs and services offered there, visit https://gjincubator.org or call 243-5242.
“The work you do for the Western Slope is indispensible,” said Boebert, a Republican whose 3rd District covers the region. “You have changed the lives of people for the better, and I cannot thank you enough for what you do.”
Dalida Sassoon Bollig, chief executive officer of the Business Incubator Center, thanked Boebert on behalf of the staff and board of directors.
“We are honored and humbled to receive this award. It is a testament to the passion and dedication with which we serve our community and support entrepreneurs and small businesses,” Bollig said. “Our commitment to economic development runs deep, and we take immense pride in guiding and empowering our local talents every step of the way. Together, we will continue fostering innovation and creating a brighter future for all.”
See CENTER page 16
Three Grand Junction firms are among the latest recipients of grants designed to help them promote their products and services through digital marketing.
A Moment Stopped photography service, Happy Roots artisanal plant pot business and Hillbilly Grill catering company each received $5,000 grants distributed through the Small Business Accelerated Growth Program.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced the 40 grant recipients. They’ll receive a total of $200,000 in funding.
“Small businesses help Colorado’s economy thrive, and programs like this help support their continued success. I am thrilled to announce the 40 grant recipients from every corner of our state from La Plata County to Morgan County,” Polis said.
Among the grant recipients, 67.5 percent identified as woman-owned, 45 percent as minority owned and 22 percent from rural communities.
“This latest round of grant recipients showcases the work we are doing to ensure that we are reaching communities that have historically faced barriers to business funding,” said Eve Lieberman, executive director of OEDIT. “We are proud to support our entrepreneurs which have successfully reached so many women and minority owned small businesses.”
A Moment Stopped offers a range of photography services, including individual and family portraits, event photography and business and product photography.
Happy Roots crafts double-lined ceramic plant pots and offers other resources to indoor gardeners.
Hillbilly Grill Catering provides private and corporate catering services for a events of all kinds and sizes.
Grant recipients will complete a training course and then receive funding to implement what they learned. The digital marketing and online presence training course teaches small business owners the fundamentals of online marketing, including best practices to increase website traffic, improve user experiences and develop e-commerce websites.
The course is one of three programs offered through the Small Business Accelerated Growth Program. Training also is available to help small business owners access capital and conduct market research.
Registration will remain open through Aug. 20 for a second round of the digital marketing and online presence training course. Eighty participants each will receive $5,000. To register or obtain more information, visit https://oedit.colorado.gov/growth.
Applications will be accepted through 3 p.m. Sept. 8 for the latest cycle of grants awarded by the Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District.
The district has $350,000 available for its fall cycle. Grant application presentations are scheduled for a board meeting set for Sept. 20 in Grand Junction. Awards will be announced as soon as Oct. 18.
The district distributes federal mineral leasing funds to local public entities to support infrastructure, construction and public service projects. Funding stays in Mesa County.
Grants of $50,000 or more are available under a program to support
large-scale public works and capital projects that address health and safety as well as the effects of energy and mineral extraction.
Mini grants of up to $50,000 are available for smaller projects.
Since 2011, the Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District. has awarded more than $8.1 million to local entities.
For grant applications and more information about the Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District, visit the website located at www.mesafml.org/currentgrant-cycle. Information also is available on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
The City of Grand Junction, Mesa County and Colorado State University have joined in a study of the benefits of adding compost to soil.
“This study will provide valuable data about the benefits of using compost to conserve water in our communities while repurposing valuable natural resources,” said Jay Valentine, general services director for the City of Grand Junction.
“We have successfully captured more than 124 tons of organic material since our new programs have been introduced to the community,” Valentine said. “Not only does this conserve valuable space in the landfill, but provides useful compost material.”
The study will help determine how the addition of compost could improve the holding capacity of water in the soil while also increasing soil fertility and biological activity.
The project is being conducted through on-farm trails to demonstrate the benefits of compost and develop compost application rate recommendations for different crops grown in the Grand Junction area.
The study is funded by an $86,000 grant the city received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase organic waste diversion and promote the use of compost in food production systems.
According to a 2019 report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, stream flows in the upper Colorado River have declined by 20 percent in the last century, in turn causing historic drought conditions in the basin.
Agricultural producers on the Western Slope have been exploring ways to conserve water, including the application of compost.
According to one estimate by the
For more information about the compost study and the City of Grand Junction’s green waste program, contact Kym Beck, supervisor of city recycling and waste reduction, by email at recycling@gjcity.org or call (970) 256-4136.
Natural Resource Defense Council, for every 1 percent increase of organic matter, soil can hold an additional 20,000 gallons of water per acre.
This spring, the City of Grand Junction began a yard waste collection program for new dual stream recycling customers as the program is phased in throughout the city. That green waste goes to the Mesa County Landfill compost facility for subsequent distribution to area farms.
The compost use trial portion of the study is taking place at three farms — two locations managed by Early Morning Orchard in Palisade and a third at the Fruita Flower Farm. Crops treated with the compost include peach trees, vegetable row crops and cut flowers.
“Local governments’ dedication to producing compost in the Grand Junction area offer a unique opportunity for local businesses to utilize organic materials that would have otherwise ended up in the landfill and improve soil health and water use efficiency,” said Jeff Pieper, a commercial horticulturist with the Colorado State University who serves as the science liaison on the project.
Baseline data was collected in the spring and compost was applied prior to the 2023 growing season. Data will be collected for two consecutive years to quantify such metrics as soil health, water infiltration, compaction and fungal to bacterial ratios.
An informal unveiling event is set for Aug. 17 in Grand Junction to mark a name change from Western Colorado Community College to CMU Tech.
A division of Colorado Mesa University, WCCC officially began the transition to CMU Tech on Aug. 1.
“I appreciate our faculty, staff, students, the board of trustees and the broader community for their endless work on the Forming the Future initiative and their support as we become CMU Tech,” said CMU President John Marshall. “The name change helps us highlight the importance of career and technical education programs and our commitment to prepare students for success in today’s dynamic industries.”
The new name aligns with a recently adopted plan as well as efforts to promote career and technical education programs. The change also culminates a year-long initiative called Forming the Future. The process involved students, faculty, staff and CMU trustees as well as community members.
John MarshallCMU Tech will continue to offer hands-on learning opportunities as well as skills training. CMU Tech and CMU offer two- and four-year degree programs as well as technical certificates.
An unveiling event with CMU trustees is set for Aug. 17 outside Building B at what’s now CMU Tech.
The members of a small business advocacy group in Colorado have come out against a ballot measure that would reduce property tax rates, but backfill revenue with money collected above state constitutional limits imposed by the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
Fully 90 percent of members of the National Federation of Independent Business in Colorado responding to a special survey indicated they opposed Proposition HH. While 9 percent said they supported the measure, 1 percent were undecided.
Tony Gagliardi, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business in Colorado, said the survey results aren’t surprising.
“Small business owners have been unwavering in their support of TABOR for the 30 years of its existence,” Gagliardi said.
Proposition HH would reduce the state tax assessment rates for residential and commercial properties, but also backfill reduced tax revenues for local governments and school and special districts with other revenue collected above TABOR limits. That could in turn reduce the money the state returns to taxpayers through so-called TABOR refunds.
The Colorado Legislature voted to put the measure on the ballot in an endof-session push that was criticized by local Republican lawmakers.
Mesa County joined with 11 other counties and the group Advance Colorado in a lawsuit challenging a proposal the counties and group contend combines multiple subjects into a single measure in violation of the Colorado Constitution.
The survey of NFIB members in Colorado asked one question: “Should Colorado reduce TABOR tax refunds and use the retained funds to lower property taxes and increase education and local government funding?”
The NFIB polls members on a regular basis to gauge their positions on issues and uses the results for its lobbying efforts on state and national levels.
“This result doesn’t really surprise, but it is a shining example of something small business owners cherish — predictability. Predictability in rules, regulations and taxes,” Gagliardi said. F
A quarterly measure of confidence among business executives in the United States has increased, reflecting a more upbeat, yet still cautious, outlook.
The Conference Board reported its Measure of CEO Confidence rose six points to 48 for the third quarter. Still, a reading below 50 reflects more negative than positive responses from the 127 executives who participated in the survey upon which the latest index was based. The Conference Board conducts the survey in collaboration with the Business Council.
“The gloom that pervaded among CEOs at the start of 2023 has lessened, but most are still treading carefully,” said Roger Ferguson, both vice chairman of the Business
Council and a trustee of the Conference Board, a New York think tank.
Dana Peterson, chief economist of the Conference Board, said CEOs are shifting tactics amid ongoing uncertainty to prepare for a downturn, but also face challenges from unusual labor conditions.
The share of CEOs responding to the latest survey who said economic conditions were better than six months ago increased 11 points from the second quarter to 28 percent. While 31 percent of CEOs said conditions were worse or much worse, that’s down 24 points from the second quarter.
Looking ahead, 20 percent of CEOs said they expect
economic conditions to improve over the next six months, up five points from the second quarter. Another 39 percent said they anticipated worsening conditions, but that’s down 17 points from the last quarter.
The proportion of CEOs who said they’re preparing for a U.S. recession over the next 12 to 18 months fell nine points to 84 percent.
While 40 percent of CEOs said they expect to increase hiring over the next year, 20 percent said they anticipated layoffs. The remaining 40 percent forecast little change.
Fully 56 percent of CEOs reported problems attracting qualified workers and 74 percent said they expect to increase wages by 3 percent or more over the next year.
The share of CEOs who expect to increase capital budgets over the next year fell five points to 22 percent.
A grand opening is set for Aug. 19 for Craig Gallery Palisade and the expanded operation there.
Tammy Craig, owner of the gallery as well as Fruit and Wine Real Estate, said she’s long wanted to expand the gallery. Plus, Kay Crane will work as the full-time gallery director there.
“Kay’s expertise and experience are unparalleled,” Craig said. “As the former director of the Blue Pig Gallery and an artist in her own right, Kay is well known for attracting and working well with topflight artists.”
Crane said she’s excited about the expanded gallery and the Grand Valley artists exhibiting their work there. “Having another art gallery in the heart of downtown Palisade is good for all concerned — the arts, the artists and the community. This is going to be fun.”
More than 20 artists have joined Craig and Crane at the gallery, including Diane and John Anglim, Nancee Busse, Ron Cloyd, Cynthia Duff, Chris Eaton, Monica Esposito, Mary Pat Ettinger, Gail Evans, Christine Feller, Dianna Fritzler, Gayle Gerson, DJ Janowski, Gerry Jensen, Jennifer Kass, Lorelei, Bud Marcos, Kathryn McBride, Diane Saulnier and Carolyn Thome.
Craig Gallery Palisade is located at 128 E. Third St. A large red metal heart sculpture sits in front of the building. F
St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction is among the Colorado hospitals recognized for their efforts to offer healthier food and beverage options as well as promote breastfeeding.
St. Mary’s was recognized at the gold level for the Healthy Hospital Compact. St. Mary’s has been a Colorado Baby Friendly designated hospital since 2016.
Since its creation in 2014, the Healthy Hospital Compact has supported hospitals to change food and drink options for patient menus as well as in cafeterias and vending machines.
Jennie Blackwelder, director of the food and nutrition department at St. Mary’s, said the hospital has been recognized at the gold level since 2016 and is working toward platinum status.
“We continue to make changes that encourage healthy eating for our visitors and caregivers. We have healthy food offerings each day as part of the compact’s criteria,“ Blackwelder said.
St. Mary’s also received the Celebrate 6 Award of Breastfeeding Excellence from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The award recognizes hospitals that have implemented at least six of the 10 steps of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative promoting breastfeeding and infant health.
“We fully strive to support our families on their breastfeeding journeys,” said Jenn Tuning, director of women’s and children’s services at St. Mary’s.
Stacy Miller, a breastfeeding specialist with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and facilitator of the Colorado Baby Friendly Hospital Collaborative, said St. Mary’s and the other hospitals have worked hard to implement changes that support breastfeeding.
“With over 90 percent of Colorado families choosing to breastfeed their children each year, such policies and practices are essential,” Miller said.
St. Mary’s Hospital is part of Intermountain Health, a system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics and medical groups with a total of 3,900 providers in six states. For additional information, visit the website located at https://intermountainhealthcare.org.
Mesa County Assessor Brent Goff has been appointed to serve on the Colorado Board of Real Estate Appraisers
Goff said he was honored by his appointment by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. “It is a position involving a high level of public trust and an opportunity to give back to a profession that has served me well since 1987.”
The Colorado Board of Real Estate Appraisers operates under the Division of Real Estate. The seven-members board convenes monthly to conduct rule-making hearings, make critical policy decisions, address licensing matters, investigate complaints and enforce disciplinary actions.
Brent Goff
Janie VanWinkleJoe LandiniJoe Burtard
Janie VanWinkle, Joe Landini and Joseph Burtard have been elected to the Grand Valley Power Board of Directors.
VanWinkle received 1,710 votes, the most of five candidates, in her re-election bid. Burtard, also an incumbent, received 1,473 votes. Landini received 1,627 votes.
The three will serve three-year terms starting Aug. 16 and join six other members of the board of directors in overseeing the operations of the Grand Junction-based electric cooperative.
Mike Moran came in fourth in the election with 965 votes, followed by Thomas Lake with 851 votes.
Chadwick, Steinkirchner, Davis & Co., a public accounting firm based in Grand Junction, tabulated the mail-in ballots under the supervision of the Grand Valley Power Election Supervisory Committee.
Organized in 1936, Grand Valley Power serves more than 19,000 meters in Mesa County and surrounding areas. For more information about Grand Valley Power, log on to www.gvp.org.
An executive with more than 40 years of banking and regulatory experience has been appointed as the new president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
Jeffrey Schmid succeeds Esther George, who retired in January.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City serves as the regional headquarters of the nation’s central bank for the 10th District, which includes Colorado and six other states.
Schmid will complete the remainder of George’s five-year term as president, which ends on Feb. 28, 2026. At that time, he will be considered for reappointment.
As president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Schmid will rotate with other regional reserve bank presidents as a voting member on the Federal Open Market Committee. The committee sets national monetary policy, including the fed funds interest rate. Schmid will participate in FOMC meetings upon his start date and become a voting member of the committee in 2025.
“We are excited to welcome Jeff back to the 10th District as the Kansas City Fed’s next leader,” said María Griego-Raby, president and principal of Contract Associates in Albuquerque, N.M. As deputy chair of the bank’s board of directors, she led the search committee.
“Jeff’s perspective as a native Nebraskan, his broad experience in banking and his deep roots in our region will be an incredible asset to the Federal Reserve, both as a leader of the organization and in his role as a monetary policymaker,” Griego-Raby said.
The appointment was approved by non-banker directors of the Kansas City Fed and then the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, D.C.
Schmid said he excited about his new role. “I am honored to be selected to serve the 10th District in this role and for the opportunity to lead the Kansas City Fed’s talented workforce as it carries out its important public mission. It is a privilege to represent this region and to be able to build upon the long tradition of service that the bank is well known for.”
Schmid began his career in 1981 as a field examiner in the Kansas City office of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., where he spent eight years examining banking
organizations and supported the oversight of a portfolio of troubled banks.
In 1989, he was named president of American National Bank in Omaha, where he served until 2007 as the community bank grew from $500 million to $1.5 billion in assets.
From 2007 to 2019, Schmid served as the chairman and CEO of the Mutual of Omaha Bank, leading the formation of the institution, which grew to include a workforce of nearly 2,000.
After the bank was sold to CIT group in 2019, he became CEO of the family owned Susser Bank in Dallas.
In 2021, he joined the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking Foundation at Southern Methodist University as president and CEO. The foundation, housed at the Edwin L. Cox School of Business, provides bank management programs, education and training for thousands of financial services professionals and government regulators, as well as education programs for commercial bank directors.
Schmid has a bachelor of science in business administration degree from the University of NebraskaLincoln and also graduated from the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking.
The vice president of information technology for CoorsTek, a technical ceramics manufacturer whose operations include a facility in Grand Junction, is among the winners of awards honoring leadership in technology.
Matt Mehlbrech received the 2023 Colorado ORBIE Award for chief information officer of the year.
ColoradoCIO presented the awards, which honor technology executives in six categories. Since its inception in 1998, the ORBIE Awards has become one of the leading technology executive recognition programs in the United States.
“I am honored to be recognized with this award and inspired by the other winners and finalists,” Mehlbrech said. “This award would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the entire CoorsTek IT organization, who works tirelessly to support CoorsTek’s company objectives on a daily basis.”
Irma Lockridge, chief people and systems officer at CoorsTek, commended Mehlbrech for his efforts.
“All of us at CoorsTek are very proud of Matt and thank him for the positive impact he continues to make,” Lockridge said. “In his six-year tenure with the company, he and his organization have done a tremendous job of modernizing the tools that support our back office, our infrastructure, our security posture and overall enhancement of business intelligence platforms that help us make more informed decisions. Matt has built a strong team of talented individuals that have taken these strategic initiatives to the next level.”
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management seeks nominations for members of regional advisory councils in Colorado.
“The resource advisory councils are the cornerstones of our engagement with the communities where we manage public lands,” said BLM Colorado State Director Doug Vilsack. “Our bureau’s ability to administer and conserve these lands for the use and enjoyment of current and future generations of Americans relies heavily on the advice we are given from the resource advisory councils.”
The BLM seeks nominations for existing and upcoming vacancies on its Northwest, Southwest and Rocky Mountain resource advisory councils.
The councils each consist of 15 members with diverse interests in public land management, including conservationists, ranchers, outdoor recreationists, state and local government officials, tribal representatives and energy industry representatives.
The councils provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on such issues as fire management, grazing, land use planning, off-highway vehicle use, oil and natural gas development, noxious weed management and wild horse and burro herd management.
Councils include representatives from each of three categories:
n Category one – Persons that hold federal grazing permits or leases within the area for which the council is organized; representatives of energy and mineral development; the commercial timber industry, and interests associated with transportation or rights-of-way, off-highway vehicle use or commercial recreation.
n Category two – Representatives of nationally or regionally recognized environmental organizations, archaeological and historical organizations, dispersed recreation activities and nationally or regionally recognized wild horse and burro groups.
n Category three – Persons who hold state, county or local elected office; are employed by a state agency responsible for the management of natural resources, land, or water; representatives of Indian tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the resource advisory council is organized; are employed as academicians in natural resource management or the natural sciences; and representatives of the public. Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on advisory councils. Nominees will be selected based on their training, education and knowledge of the council’s geographical area. All nominations must be accompanied by letters of reference from any represented interests or organizations; a completed background information nomination form; and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications.
Nominations to U.S. Bureau of Land Management resource advisory councils must be submitted with 30 days after the notice publishes in the Federal Register. The nomination application is available online. For more information about serving on the Northwest Colorado resource advisory council, contact Elijah Waters at (970) 570-0042 or ewaters@blm.gov. Additional information about resource advisory councils is available at www.blm.gov/get-involved/resource-advisory-council/near-you/colorado.
A public forum is set for Aug. 15 to discuss the future of the Orchard Mesa recreational facility in Grand Junction.
The forum is planned for 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Park Barn, 910 N. 12th St. This event will offer an opportunity for participants to review options for the Orchard Mesa recreational facility as well as data collected from the previous forum relating to the swimming pool facility. Community members also can provide input online at https://EngageGJ.org.
“Community participation continues to be critical to help determine the future of the facility,” said Ken Sherbenou, director of parks and recreation for the City of Grand Junction.
“Based on the input received at the last round of meetings in June, the architectural firm Ohlson Lavoie Corporation and their team have studied the existing facility and
based on their findings, will present the different options, their associated benefits and costs,” Sherbenou said.
Following the public forum, a final plan will be presented to the Grand Junction City Council this fall to determine the city’s position regarding the facility.
As one of three partners and operator, the city took the lead to evaluate options for the long-term resolution of the aging facility. As owner of the facility, Mesa County School District 51 will make the final decision about the future of the operations there.
Recommendations for the Orchard Mesa facility could range from basic renovation to modernizing the facility to repurposing the facility to provide indoor space for such sports as soccer, lacrosse and baseball.
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Bollig also cited support the center receives from Mesa County, the cities of Grand Junction and Fruita and town of Palisade.
The Business Incubator Center offers a range of services and programs in a single location. The Small Business Development Center offers free and low-cost counseling and classes. The incubator program and commercial kitchen offers low-cost space and shared services for businesses. The GJmakerspace at the center offers space, equipment and resources to entrepreneurs, inventors and others for product development, prototyping and manufacturing.
The center also operates FWorks, a coworking space located on the second floor of the Fruita Civic Center.
In addition, the center manages a revolving loan fund offering access to capital to small businesses as well as a program offering tax credits for capital projects.
Since it opened in 1987, the Business Incubator Center has helped more than 600 businesses start, in turn creating more than 10,000 jobs.
Clients come from a variety of industry sectors, including agriculture, construction, education, food and beverages, manufacturing and services.
Valkyrie Recovery Systems was among the clients at the center cited as part of congressional recognition. The company manufactures parachutes and other fabric recovery systems for the space and aerospace industries.
According to an annual report for 2020, the Business Incubator Center served a total of 369 clients through various programs. That included 26 business startups. The center assisted in creating 421 jobs. While Mesa County accounts for about 2 percent of the population of Colorado, the county accounts for 11 percent of business starts in the state.
A total of 71 businesses operated on the center campus in 2022. Another 15 businesses graduated from programs there and continued operations in the community.
The Business Loan fund of Mesa County issued 22 small business loans worth a total of $1.84 million in 2022. Those loans helped leverage an additional $1.4 million in funding.
The Mesa County Enterprise Zone program issued more than $2.1 million in state tax credits to private businesses and nearly $1.4 million to nonprofit organizations. The program is part of a statewide effort encouraging business development in areas of economic distress by offering state tax credits for everything from creating new jobs and buying equipment to rehabilitating vacant buildings. Tax credits also are available to donors who contribute to approved projects.
Bollig said the congressional recognition validates efforts at the center and inspires continued work. “Thank you for this recognition, which only fuels our determination to make a lasting impact.”
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Knoll says his new duties as president haven’t yet been fully determined. But he expects to transition roles from loan production to leadership and mentorship. His responsibilities as a leader will include training replacements — the loan officers and other bank employees who will in turn move into leadership positions of their own.
He says he’s looking forward to that process and working with employees individually to accommodate different learning styles. “That’s leadership.”
It’s a process Knoll says he went through himself.
He joined Alpine Bank in 2000, first as a teller in the downtown branch and then a loan assistant. He went through the training program Alpine Bank offers prospective bank officers. He subsequently worked two decades as a loan officer and senior loan officer, the majority of the time at the Mesa Mall branch.
Knoll received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from what’s now Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction.
He says he initially was interested in travel and recreation management. But he discovered jobs in that industry often require working nights, holidays and weekends — and for what’s usually less pay than what he could earn in other industries.
He switched to the banking industry and has worked for Alpine Bank ever since.
His 23-year tenure isn’t unusual for Alpine Bank employees, Knoll says. “The tenure here is very strong. People like working here. It says something about an organization when people want to work here and stay so long.”
Knoll says his long tenure has given him experience in working through the ups and downs of business cycles. That included what was dubbed the Great Recession, a downturn that extended from December 2007 to June 2009.
Knoll says he’s always considered his role individually and the role of the bank more generally to serve as a trusted advisor to customers — to provide them with solutions tailored to their situations and help them achieve their goals.
In determining whether to issue a loan, Knoll says he sometimes had to say no because he believed it was in the best interest of customers. But he says he continued to work with them so they could get to a yes.
The COVID-19 pandemic and what’s followed has created a different situation than past economic cycles, Knoll says, including a surge of government spending to counter the effects, then inflation and higher interest rates to curb inflation. Knoll says he expects a higher interest rate environment to persist.
Higher home prices and less affordable housing pose another challenge, he says. “Affordable housing is on everyone’s plate. Where does the workforce live?”
Knoll says he remains cautiously optimistic about the opportunities ahead for local businesses and Alpine Bank.
A more diversified economy has positioned Mesa County to fare better. Moreover, Colorado and Mesa County remain attractive places for people to live and work.
Alpine Bank continues to grow and will continue to succeed, he says, because of its employees and their relationships with customers. “It comes down to the people, and our people make the difference.”
The values of Alpine Bank also make a difference, Knoll says. That includes the time employees donate to serve on groups and boards as well as the money the bank gives back to communities in donations, sponsorships and scholarships.
“Anywhere there’s an Alpine bank branch, the community is better off,” he says.
Alpine Bank has donated a total of more than $425,000 to selected organizations as part of a celebration of 50 years in business.
“I think it’s impossible to separate where business interests end and where society’s begins,” said Bob Young, founder and chairman of Alpine Bank. “What makes a good banker is somebody who carries the same values. A good bank is one who can fully support the community in the most positive way.”
Each of 853 Alpine Bank employees directed a one-time gift of $500 to an eligible Colorado nonprofit, bringing to $426,500 the total awarded through the 50 years of philanthropy campaign. A total of $135,000 in gifts went to organizations in Mesa County.
The gifts were awarded on Aug. 1, also the anniversary of Colorado statehood.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis issued a proclamation designating Aug. 1, 2023 as Alpine Bank Day. The proclamation notes that since the bank was founded in 1973, it’s provided a total of more than $55 million in grants, scholarships, sponsorships and other donations.
A $6.5 billion employee-owned organization headquartered in Glenwood Springs, Alpine Bank operates locations across the state and serves 170,000 customers. For more information, visit www.alpinebank.com.
s New business filings in Colorado, 55,787 in the first quarter, up 27.6 percent from the first quarter of 2022.
s Consumer Confidence Index 117 for July, up 6.9.
t Leeds Business Confidence Index for Colorado, 44.1 for the third quarter, down 1.
s National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Optimism Index 91.9 for July, up 0.9.
t Foreclosure filings in Mesa County, 12 in July, down from 20 in July 2022.
s Foreclosure sales in Mesa County, 7 in July, up from 6 in July 2022.
s Conference Board Employment Trends Index, 115.45 for July, up 1.89.
t Conference Board Leading Economic Index 106.1 for June, down 0.7%.
s Institute for Supply Management Purchasing Managers Index for manufacturing, 46.4% for July, up 0.4%.
s Lodging tax collections in Grand Junction, $613,988 for the first quarter, up 6% from the first quarter of 2022.
t Real estate transactions in Mesa County, 300 in July, down 24.2% from July 2022.
t Dollar volume of real estate transactions in Mesa County, $131 million in July, down 22.9% from July 2022.
s Sales and use tax collections in Grand Junction, $43.3 million for the first half, up 2.3% from the first half of 2022.
t Sales and use tax collections in Mesa County, $4.7 million for June, down 0.6% from June 2022.
s Mesa County — 3.7% for June, up 0.8.
n Colorado — 2.8% for June, unchanged.
t United States — 3.5% for July down 0.1.
Mesa County real estate activity continues to lag behind last year as a combination of higher prices and interest rates and lower inventories slow sales.
But the gap is expected to narrow in part because of the comparison to slowing during the second half of 2022. Moreover, demand persists in the residential market.
“There is still just a lot of strong buyer interest out there,” said Robert Bray, chief executive officer of Bray & Co. Real Estate based in Grand Junction.
Annette Young, administrative coordinator at Heritage Title Co. in Grand Junction, said 300 real estate transactions worth a total of $131 million were reported in Mesa County in July. Compared to the same month last year, transactions fell 24.2 percent and dollar volume decreased 22.9 percent.
Ten large transactions worth a combined $14 million bolstered dollar volume. The top three transactions involved residential properties, Young said, including the sales of a luxury residence on 2 acres for $2.95 million, a luxury home on 1.7 acres for $2.27 million and two residences on nearly 10 acres for $1.35 million.
Through the first seven months of 2023, 2,174 transactions worth a total of $937 million were reported, Young said. Compared to the same span in 2022, transactions declined 29.6 percent and dollar volume fell 29.1 percent.
Young said a combination of higher prices and mortgage interest rates have made homes too costly for some buyers. Others who own homes and might be in the market for something different are shackled by the “golden handcuffs” of mortgages with interest rates at half of what new loans feature, she said.
Low residential inventories also affect sales, Young said. “There’s less filling that pipeline.”
According to numbers Bray & Co. tracks for the residential market in Mesa County, 214 transactions worth a total of almost $100 million were reported in July. Compared to the same month a year ago, transactions fell 27.7 percent and dollar volume declined 23.3 percent.
Through the first seven months of 2023, 1,614 transactions worth a total of more than $696 million were reported. Compared to the same span in 2022, transactions decreased 22.1 percent and dollar volume fell 21 percent.
Bray said the declines were noticeable. But he expects the gap to narrow in part because of the comparison to what was slower activity in the second half of 2022.
The median price of homes sold during the first seven months of 2022 increased to $389,250. But the 1.1 percent year-over-year gain was smaller than what have been double-digit gains, he said. For July, 98.4 percent of homes sold received the list price. Bray said some list prices are reduced.
Homes remain on the market longer before sales — through the first seven months of 2023, an average of 61 days. That’s up from 45 days for the same span in in 2022.
Residential inventory dropped at the end of July with 456 active listings in Mesa County. That’s down 19.4 percent from this time last year.
The pace of new home construction also has slowed. Through the first seven months of 2023, 264 permits were issued. That’s a decline of 46.8 percent from the same span in 2022.
Along with slowing in the residential market, Bray said the commercial real estate market has softened with less investor activity.
Property foreclosure activity constitutes something of a mixed bag, Young said. Through the first seven months of 2023, 142 filings and 28 sales were reported in Mesa County. Compared to the same span in 2022, filings declined as sales increased. The overall numbers remain low, however, she said.
A measure of optimism among small business owners has increased, but still reflects concerns over earnings and hiring.
“With small business owners’ views about future sales growth and business conditions dismal, owners want to hire and make money now from solid consumer spending,” said Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist for the National Federation of Independent Business. “Inflation has eased slightly on Main Street, but difficulty hiring remains a top business problem.”
The NFIB reported its Small Business Optimism Index rose nine-tenths of a point to 91.9 in July. The latest reading remained below the 49-year average of 98 for a 19th consecutive month.
The NFIB bases the index on the results of monthly surveys of members of the small business advocacy group, most of them small business owners. Between June and July, five of 10 components of the index advanced, one retreated and four remained unchanged.
The proportion of members who responded to the latest survey who expect the economy to improve over the next six months rose 10 points. But at a net negative 30 percent, more members anticipated worsening conditions.
A net 27 percent of members reported plans to increase capital outlays, up two points from June. A net 6 percent said they consider now a good time to expand.
The share of members who said they expect increased sales rose two points. But at a net negative 12 percent, more forecast decreased sales.
Expectations for earnings dropped six points to a net negative 30 percent. Among those reporting lower profits, 30 percent blamed weaker sales, 19 percent cited higher material costs and 18 percent attributed the trend to higher labor costs.
A net 17 percent of owners reported plans to increase staffing, up two points from June. But a net 42 percent also reported hardto-fill job openings, unchanged from last month. Among those hiring or trying to hire, 92 percent of owners reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill.
A net 38 percent of owners reported raising compensation. A net 21 percent reported plans to raise compensation within the next three months.
The proportion of owners who reported plans to increase inventories rose a point to a net negative 2 percent. The share of those who reported existing inventories were too low held steady at a net negative 4 percent.
Asked to identify their single most important problem, 21 percent of owners cited inflation, down three points from June. A net 25 percent of owners reported raising average selling prices. Price increases were most frequent in the finance, retail, wholesale and construction sectors.
U.S. employers continued to hire in July as the unemployment rate edged down.
Nonfarm payrolls increased 187,000 and the jobless rate slipped a tenth of a point to 3.5 percent, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Payroll gains for the previous two months were revised downward a total of 49,000 to 185,000 for June and 281,000 for May.
The latest numbers remain below the average monthly payroll gain of 312,000 over the past year.
For July, the number of people counted among those unsuccessfully looking for work was little changed at 5.8 million. Of those, 1.2 million have been out of work 27 weeks or longer.
Another 4 million people were counted among those working part-time because their hours were reduced or they were unable to find full-time positions.
The labor participation rate — the proportion of the population either working or actively looking for work — remained unchanged at 62.6 percent for a fifth consecutive month. That’s still below the rate posted before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in early 2020.
Payroll gains for July were spread out among industry sectors. Employment increased 63,000 in health care, 24,000 in social assistance, 19,000 in both construction and financial activities, 18,000 in wholesale trades and 17,000 in leisure and hospitality. Payrolls fell 8,000 in professional and business services.
The average workweek for employees on private, nonfarm payrolls edged down a tenth of an hour to 34.3 hours. The average manufacturing workweek held steady at 40.1 hours. Average hourly earnings increased 14 cents to $33.74. Wages have increased an average of 4.4 percent over the past year.
An index tracking labor trends has increased, signaling continued job growth in coming months.
The Conference Board reported its Employment Trends Index rose 1.89 points to 115.45 in July. The gain reversed two months of declines.
“We expect positive employment growth for the coming months even if the rate slows down,” said Selcuck Eren, a senior economist at the New York think tank.
Four of eight components of the index advanced in July.
n A variety of presentations are scheduled at the Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction.
A presentation on preparing cash flow budgets for small business startups is set for noon to 1 p.m. Aug. 15 at the center, located at 2591 Legacy Way. Participants will learn how to complete cash flow budgets using Microsoft Excel.
A maker meetup is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 4 at the GJmakerspace at the center. The free event will offer an opportunity to meet makers, discuss ideas and showcase projects. Refreshments will be served.
I explained in a column published in June how the flexibility measures enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic related to the inspection of identity and work eligibility documents were scheduled to end July 31.
The next small business startup workshop is set for 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 7. The workshop will cover the business planning process, including financing, legal structures, licensing requirements and state registration. Admission is $55.
The next Leading Edge business planning and management course is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays Sept. 20 to Dec. 6. The 11-week course will teach participants how to start or grow a business based on a business plan. In addition to classroom instruction and written materials, the course will include three hours of individual consulting. Admission is $275, $100 for each additional participant from the same business.
To register for or obtain more information about events, programs and services offered at the Business Incubator Center, call 243-5242 or visit https://gjincubator.org.
n Registration is under way for the Western Slope Young Professionals Summit in Grand Junction set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Colorado Mesa University Center south ballroom.
The event will help young professionals discover new ways to grow professionally and personally, forge meaningful connections and uncover opportunities to expand their knowledge and engage with the community. The event also will include the presentation of the BestSlope NEXT Gen Award.
Admission is $75 per person, $350 for five. To register or obtain more information, visit https://gjchamber.org or call 242-3214.
n The Western Colorado Human Resource Association has scheduled its next monthly meeting for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Mesa County Workforce Center, 512 29 1/2 Road in Grand Junction. The event also will include a presentation on reasonable suspicion. WCHRA members may attend at no additional charge. Guests will pay $20. To register or obtain more information, visit www.wchra.org.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) required employers to physically inspect identity and work eligibility documents used to support an I-9 form completed remotely during the pandemic by Aug. 30, 2023. But DHS commented that a new final rule was imminent that could make alternative methods of I-9 document inspection permanent. The new DHS rule took effect on Aug. 1, 2023. Unfortunately, the rule might not be the panacea some employers, particularly those with remote employees, hoped it would be.
The new rule allows employers in good standing with E-Verify to electronically review documents used to support Form I-9. Any E-Verify employer that conducts remote document inspection must follow the following “alternative procedure.”
n Examine copies — front and back, if the document is two-sided — of Form I–9 documents or an acceptable receipt to ensure the documentation presented reasonably appears to be genuine.
n Conduct a live video interaction with the individual presenting the documents to ensure the documentation reasonably appears to be genuine and related to the individual. The employee must first transmit a copy of the documents to the employer per the first step and then present the same documents during the live video interaction.
n Indicate on Form I–9 by completing the corresponding box an alternative procedure was used to examine documentation to complete Section 2 or for reverification, as applicable.
n Retain, consistent with applicable regulations, a clear and legible copy of the documentation — front and back if the documentation is two-sided.
n In the event of a Form I–9 audit or investigation by a relevant federal government official, make available the clear and legible copies of the identity and employment authorization documentation presented by the employee for document examination in connection with the employment eligibility verification process.
As I discussed in my column, employers have until Aug. 30 to physically inspect any documents that were inspected remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic flexibility measures.
But some E-Verify employers don’t need to physically inspect documents that were examined remotely under the flexibility measures. An E-Verify employer may be relieved of the requirement to physically reinspect documents if the employer was enrolled in E-Verify in good standing at the
time they performed a remote examination of an employee’s Form I–9 documentation for Section 2 or reverification; used E-Verify to create a case for that employee (except for reverification) at the time; and followed the first two steps at the time the form was completed between March 20, 2020 and July 31, 2023.
But there’s a catch. The new rule requires all E-Verify employers using the alternative procedure to follow the steps listed above. If, for example, an E-Verify employer wishes to avoid physically reinspecting documents remotely inspected between March 20, 2020, and July 31, 2023, it must still conduct a video interaction and copy any documents used to support Form I-9 if the employer didn’t do so at the time the remote inspection was conducted. Except for remote employees in remote locations, this might be no easier for the employer than physically inspecting documents before the Aug. 30 deadline.
Outside of these two areas of relief for E-Verify employers, all employers who didn’t physically inspect I-9 supporting documents during the COVID-19 pandemic must physically reinspect the documents originally submitted electronically when the I-9 was completed. Unless an employer registers for and uses E-Verify, employers must physically inspect all documents used to support Form I-9 moving forward
The new rule is disappointing to many employers that hoped for DHS to authorize broad remote document inspection. But DHS observed in its rule: Physically examining identity and employment authorization documents offers important security benefits to enable employers to assess if the documents reasonably appear to be genuine and relate to the individual who presents them. Employers who physically examine documents can touch and more clearly see identification security features like holograms and microprinting as well as the card stock on which certain documents are printed.
DHS is likely to authorize broader remote I-9 document inspection in the future. DHS considers the alternative procedures available to employers using E-Verify as a pilot program with the goal of reducing unnecessary burdens and ensuring the security of any alternative procedures relative to physical document examination.
The Employers Council makes available to its member resources on I-9s and other hiring practices. Employers Council attorneys can advise enterprise and consulting members on questions related to I-9s and E-Verify.
Dean Harris is the Western Slope area managing attorney for the Employers Council. The Employers Council counsels, represents and trains member employers in all phases of employment relationships. For more information, contact Harris at (970) 852-0190 or dharris@employerscouncil.org. F
Registration is under way for an annual economic development summit in Western Colorado.
Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado has scheduled the summit for 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Grand River Hospital Conference Center at 501 Airport Road in Rifle. Ticket sell for $75 and include lunch. For tickets or information, visit https://agnc.org or call (970) 665-1095.
The agenda for the summit includes presentations
on housing innovation, rural economic development, advancements in aviation, regional energy initiatives and the Colorado State University Regional Economic Development Institute. A keynote panel will provide updates on legislation involving economic development.
Nathan Perry, an economics professor at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, will offer an economic update for northwest Colorado.
The Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado is an organization of county and municipal governments that includes Mesa County as well as Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade. Garfield, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties are also member counties, while Delta, Grand and Montrose counties are associate members. The AGNC also serves as an economic development district for the region.
Truly successful businesses aren’t merely money making machines. They actually represent a tremendous opportunity to make life more pleasant and the world a better place — if they’re used for such a noble cause.
There’s a common belief success is the result of selling as many products or services as possible to as many consumers as possible at the highest prices possible while paying the lowest wages possible to make as much money as possible. This is a limited perspective of success, though. When followed, it leaves almost everyone involved feeling taken advantage of; vastly undervalued; used; and, most important, unhappy.
In my work with companies over the years, I’ve witnessed the dramatic differences between businesses that truly care about their team members, customers and community and those that don’t.
A truly successful business, one that benefits the many and not merely the few, strives to create as much happiness and success as possible for customers, team members, business owners and the community while generating a profit. This balanced approach to success takes all players into account, spreading the fruits of everyone’s labor far and wide for the betterment of the whole.
This begins with the lifeblood of any successful business — customers. If they’re not happy with the products and services provided to them in exchange for their hard-earned money, they won’t return and are unlikely to speak highly of your company.
As you consider your customer base, it is important to see them as human beings who’ve chosen to do business with you, not merely dollar signs added to your bottom
line. When customers are valued and treated with respect, integrity and care, they become over time raving fans of you, your team and your business. The happiness and success of everyone increases.
The same principle applies to team members. Without them, your company wouldn’t function. Without their dedication, it would be impossible to conduct high quality business. Their agreements to exchange large portions of their lives to help you in return for earning a living shouldn’t be taken for granted. Like you, your team members have dreams of happiness and success. Their families depend on them just as yours depend upon you.
Your team members represent a conduit between your business and customers. They’re not cogs in the wheel of business. They’re human beings. The more you care for your team members, the more likely they are to care for you. When you value and treat them with dignity, they’ll typically give their best to you and your customers. The happier they are, the stronger your business will grow and more success everyone will enjoy.
When you operate from the mindset others want to be happy and successful just as you do, you’ll see and treat people differently. Through this larger perspective, team members and customers cease to be objects necessary to achieve your financial dreams. Instead, they become vital links in a chain that leads to happiness and success throughout the process of doing business.
It’s true you can’t please everyone. Some team members and customers will never be satisfied with your efforts, however exceptional. In the pursuit of greater happiness and success, you’ll need to let certain team members and customers go.
But companies that choose to operate from a win-winwin perspective where happy customers, team members and owners succeed are the most rewarding companies to do business with, work for and run. These businesses give as well as receive.
Quite simply, there’s more to business success than profits, status, prestige and power. When business is conducted in ways that honor and support everyone who contributes their time and resources to its well-being, the company is positioned to serve the greater purpose of creating happiness and success in the world. Its mission becomes a more encompassing endeavor, one not solely focused on providing wealth to owners and investors.
Your customers, team members and you are all in business together. It’s a symbiotic relationship. When you operate from this balanced perspective — one that includes the best interests of everyone involved, not just yours — your business will produce happiness and even more success while improving quality of life and the world as a whole.
Marcus Straub owns Life is Great Coaching in Grand Junction. His personalized coaching and consulting services help individuals, business owners, executives and companies build teams, organizations and lives filled with happiness and success. Straub is winner of the International Coach of the Year Award and author of “Is It Fun Being You?” He’s available for free consultations regarding coaching, speaking and trainings. Reach Straub at (970) 208-3150, marcus@ligcoaching.com or through the website located at www.ligcoaching.com. F
When you operate from the mindset others want to be happy and successful just as you do, you’ll see and treat people differently.
Is that person working for you an independent contractor or employee? Before you make the wrong classification, visit the Internal Revenue Service website at www.irs.gov and check out the tax tips section.
According to the IRS, the way to determine whether someone is a contractor or employee depends on three factors:
n Behavioral control. Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does the job?
n Financial control. Does the business control the financial and business aspects of the worker’s job? Are the business aspects controlled by the payer? Consider how the worker is paid, expenses are reimbursed and who provides tools and supplies.
n Relationships of the parties. Are there written contracts or such employee benefits as insurance, pensions or vacation pay? Will the relationship continue? Is the work performed a key aspect of the business?
If someone is an employee, your business must withhold and pay state and federal income taxes, Social Security and Medicare taxes (both employee and employer contributions) as well as unemployment taxes. In Colorado, you also must comply with the Family Medical Leave and Insurance Program contribution and withholding requirements.
If you don’t withhold the required taxes and make the required contributions on time and the person doing work for you is later determined to be an employee, there could be substantial penalties, interest charges and other consequences.
How do you decide if someone is an independent contractor?
From the company’s perspective, independent contractors are essentially self-employed. According to the IRS, people are self-employed if any of the following apply to them:
n They carry on a trade or business as a sole proprietor or independent contractor. Their businesses could be a corporation, even with a single employee.
n They’re a member of a partnership or corporation that carries on a trade or business.
n They’re otherwise in business for themselves, including part-time operations.
Self-employed individuals, including those who earn money from gig economy work, are generally required to file a tax return and make estimated quarterly tax payments. They also must pay self-employment tax, which is Social Security and Medicare taxes as well as state and federal income taxes and unemployment taxes.
If you misclassify someone as an independent contractor — which happens more often than you might think — that person could seek a determination of worker status from the IRS, especially if they haven’t been filing their quarterly taxes or other payments. If the IRS rules the person is your employee and not an independent contractor, you could have to pay substantial sums for back taxes and other costs.
An employer can take a proactive step by completing a form SS-8, determination of worker status for purposes of federal employment taxes and income tax withholding — www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss8.pdf. This form can be completed and submitted by either the employer or employee.
This column relies on information from the IRS website. Employers should visit the site and explore the information related to their particular situations. None of the preceding is intended as employment, legal, tax or other advice.
Janet Arrowood is founder and managing director of the Write Source, a Grand Junction firm offering a range of services, including grant and proposal writing, instruction and technical writing. Reach her at janet.arrowood@thewritesourceinc.com. For more information, log on to www.TheWriteSourceInc.com.
Once upon a time — over the last couple of years, actually — in the beautiful state of Colorado, two laws were enacted that aimed to improve the lives of employees and promote fairness in the workplace. These laws were the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA) and Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act.
HFWA required Colorado employers to offer paid sick leave under various circumstances. While businesses endured financial effects, the law provided protections for employees and helped promote healthier workplaces.
An employee unable to work due to illness could use accrued paid sick leave to take time off and still receive pay. This could help prevent the spread of illness in the workplace and ensure employees were able to recover and return to work in good health.
As of Aug. 7, employees may use HFWA paid sick leave for additional purposes, including:
n To care for a family member whose school or place of care has been closed due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water or other unexpected occurrences or events.
n To evacuate residences due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water or other unexpected occurrences or events.
n To grieve, attend funeral services or a memorial, or deal with financial and legal matters that arise after the death of a family member.
The Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act aimed to prevent wage discrimination and close the gender pay gap. The law created significant compliance requirements for
Colorado employers, even those with only one Coloradobased remote employee. That was a shift away from what was the under 10 employees approach.
The federal Equal Pay Act provides protections against discriminatory practices, including those involving bonuses, cleaning or gasoline allowances, holiday and vacation pay, hotel accommodations, life insurance, overtime pay, reimbursement for travel expenses and salary.
Colorado took this a step further. With the new law, employers are required to create job descriptions, develop wage scales, perform wage audits to ensure similar pay for similar work between genders, post promotions and provide benefit and wage information in job postings.
Employers are held to only six categories for lawful wage disparities — education/experience, geographic location, quantity/quality, merit, seniority and travel. In addition, employers can no longer inquire about or use earned wage history from previous employers to set wages.
In May, the Colorado legislature passed Senate Bill 23-105, which amends the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act to clarify certain existing employer responsibilities, remove some requirements and add new obligations. Provisions of the amendment will take affect Jan. 1.
The law will require additional requirements after the employer hires for the position. For example, providing notification to existing employees explaining who was hired for a position, including title, former title and how other employees could quality for the position in the future.
Some of the changes also will reduce burdens for employers, however. They’ll no longer be required to post internally for career development or career progression opportunities. Employers aren’t required to post for all job opportunities instead of just promotions.
To ensure compliance with new laws and regulations, businesses must take several actions. One effective action is to remain connected with reputable human resource organizations and employment law attorneys, review newsletters and publications and attend trainings. These organizations provide updates and resources that help businesses stay up to date with new regulations.
It’s important for businesses to take proactive steps to ensure compliance because failing to do so can have serious consequences. By staying informed and taking appropriate action, businesses can ensure they’re in compliance with all employment laws and regulations.
These two laws exerted significant effects on employers and employees in Colorado. While the laws might have created some challenges for businesses, they also provided important protections for employees and helped promote a healthy and fair workplace. Hopefully, everyone will live happily ever after.
Ed Krey owns Lighthouse HR Support, a Grand Junction firm offering a range of human resource services for small and medium-sized businesses. For more information about Lighthouse HR Support, call (970) 243-7509 or visit lighthousehrs.net.
One effective action is to remain connected with reputable human resource organizations and employment law attorneys, review newsletters and publications and attend trainings.
The Grand Junction real estate market has changed as more people from in and outside the area seek a balanced lifestyle that combines the charm of small town living with the convenience of urban amenities.
The trend indicates a shift from traditional single family homes to multifamily developments designed for modern life. Since Grand Junction lacked apartments and multifamily spaces, investors and developers have chased the chance to bring new products to market.
The biggest question remains, though: How much is too much?
In the late 1970s, Grand Junction experienced an oil shale boom. Multifamily units, mostly fourplexes, shot up across the Grand Valley. When the housing market crashed in 1982, multifamily building all but came to a standstill. A few larger units were built as the market improved in the early 2000s. A few more were built throughout the recovery from the 2008 crash. Overall, though, multifamily building remained below what a healthy market required.
This underbuilding trend began to change in 2019. The construction of the Copper Village Apartments followed by the Railyard at Rimrock kicked off a building frenzy of large-scale multifamily projects.
From January 2019 to June 2023, 1,510 multifamily planning clearances were issued in the Grand Junction city limits — roughly four times the number of clearances issued between 2014 and 2019. Building permits for multifamily construction with four or more units increased more than 300 percent between the first half of 2022 and first half 2023 and 86 percent from the first half of 2021. Planning clearances are issued by unit. Building permits are issued per building, making the need to evaluate both of them as a group necessary.
It’s estimated a total of about 900 units across eight large projects are under construction with another 100 units coming in smaller, four- to 20-unit projects.
It’s not just the units under construction influencing the market, but also the large number of planning projects and rezones.
The pipeline of units going through the planning process tops 1,000, including the recently approved 164-unit project at the former sugar beet factory on Kimball Avenue in Grand Junction. These projects are headed by developers
local and nonlocal, experienced and inexperienced all trying to take a piece of the hot multifamily market.
The appeal of renting has grown as many of the developments feature such amenities as gyms, swimming pools and communal spaces. These conveniences can provide renters with a higher quality of life at a fraction of the cost homeowners might incur to access similar facilities.
Copper Village Apartment features a clubhouse community garden, fitness center, garages and playgrounds. According to Bray Property Management, every new building that is constructed is 100 percent preleased, with many renters still on the waiting list. Copper Village Apartments is not an outlier. Most other complexes coming to market also are fully pre-leased.
The future will tell when Grand Junction hits the equilibrium between supply and demand of multifamily units. But with a pipeline filled with more than 2,000 units, that future soon could be here
Darah Galvin is director of operations at Bray & Co. Real Estate based in Grand Junction. For additional information, call 242-3647 or visit www.brayandco.com.
Employers have a unique opportunity to help employees quit tobacco, in turn promoting health and safety while benefiting business.
When employees quit smoking, it can increase workplace productivity, reduce the potential exposure of other employees to second-hand smoke and increase health and happiness.
Nicotine addiction takes a toll in a variety of ways. As many people know, tobacco significantly effects health. Studies have found tobacco kills about two-thirds of users. In Colorado, tobacco accounts for more than 5,100 deaths annually.
Tobacco also imposes a hidden financial burden. According to the Truth Initiative, annual smoking-related health care costs in Colorado total $1.89 billion and smoking-related productivity losses total $1.27 billion.
How can employers promote tobacco cessation?
First, by understanding that quitting is difficult. If, how and when someone quits using tobacco is a personal decision. Employers can give employees the tools they need to succeed by promoting resources designed to help people quit using tobacco for good. The promotion of these resources is especially important for small and mid-sized businesses that don’t provide formal health care. The resources are free for Colorado residents.
Those resources include the Colorado Quitline, which offers free nicotine quit medications for individuals 18 years or older and coaching to help people prepare for their journeys to quit, understand triggers, manage cravings and track progress. It’s possible to connect to the Colorado Quitline by phone call, text or email. Spanish speakers can access these services by visiting Dejelo Ya.
Due to the high mortality rate of tobacco users, big tobacco companies target youth to generate more customers. For this reason, it’s especially important to promote free cessation resources to youth using tobacco products. For young employees in need of assistance, My Life, My Quit is offers similar resources to the Colorado
Quitline, except the service is designed specifically for teens. Free coaching is available to provide information about tobacco and nicotine and help youth quit. Teens can start their quit journeys by texting or going online.
For a better understanding of how tobacco affects youth in Mesa County and how to protect youth from tobacco, review the Mesa County youth tobacco report found online at https://health.mesacounty.us.
Promoting tobacco cessation resources demonstrates employers care about their employees and their health. Not only that, this simple step constitutes an investment in employees and business operations.
For those interested in discussing these resources or becoming a partner to curb the effects of tobacco use in Mesa County, send an email to Mesa County Public Health at healthinfo@mesacounty.us.
Brandon Gray is a community health planner with Mesa County Public Health. For additional information, call 248-6900 or visit https://health.mesacounty.us.
Few people today remember a time before 1950 when there were no credit cards. As the story goes, the idea originated with Frank McNamara, a businessman who’d forgotten his wallet while out to dinner in New York. He and his business partner, Ralph Schneider, invented the Diners Club card as a way to pay without carrying cash.
Fast forward to today, when credit cards are used more frequently in transactions than cash.
Each time a credit card is swiped, people are allowed to make payments directly to each other through an online system. This type of digital currency has been used for decades.
The basic model of banking is largely unchanged in that digital currency issued by commercial banks is convertible into paper currency. Paper currency has no intrinsic value. Bank notes are declared legal tender by government decree. The worth of paper money is determined by supply and demand. Digital currency works within this system.
Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, are digital tokens. They’re a type of digital currency that allows people to make payments directly to each other through an online system. Cryptocurrencies aren’t declared legal tender by the government and have no intrinsic value other than what people are willing to pay for them.
What if you learned more nefarious plans were on the drawing board?
Ajay Mookerjee, executive vice president of credit cards for Sun Trust Banks, explained these plans in an article titled “What if Central Banks Issued Digital Currency?” The impetus for this change is coming from China, where the central bank runs a pilot program with digital currency eliminating paper money. Mookerjee said Sweden, Singapore and South Korea are among 13 other countries testing pilots. The U.S. is likely to follow suit. As Mookerjee reported, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is designing a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
Mookerjee explained the difference between CBDC and regular digital cash issued by commercial banks is that each CBDC unit of cash will have a unique, unchanging digital identity. If America adopted a CBDC, Mookerjee wrote, “The custodian of everyone’s cash and the clearer of all transactions will now be the central bank, and there will be no need for paper money.”
Alondra Nelson, head of the White
House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said the Joe Biden administration and Federal Reserve have touted a CBDC as a way to create equitable access to the financial system. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and National Science Foundation are conducting research into the development of a CBDC.
Beware Americans. What you don’t know can hurt you.
Eswar Prasad, a former International Monetary Fund official who works as a professor of trade and economics at Cornell University, issued warnings in his new book, titled “The Future of Money: How the Digital Revolution is Transforming Currencies and Finance.” Prasad wrote: “The real danger in CBDCs is that there is no limit to the level of control that the government could exert over people if money is purely electronic and provided directly by the government. A CBDC would give federal officials full control over the money going into and coming out of every person’s account.”
Since CBDCs can be programmed to impose restrictions on the use of money, citizens will no longer enjoy economic or political freedom. Money can be precisely targeted for what people can own and do.
William Luther, director of the sound money project for the American Institute for Economic Research, put it this way: “At some point, a CBDC that fails to provide a high degree of financial privacy will be used to monitor and censor the transactions of one’s political enemies. It is foolish to think otherwise.”
Digital currencies are not all created equal. If you value your personal freedom to spend your money as you wish, tell your members of Congress to say no to central bank digital currency.
Phyllis Hunsinger is founder of the Freedom & Responsibility Education Enterprise Foundation in Grand Junction. The FREE Foundation provides resources to students and teachers in Western Colorado to promote the understanding of economics, financial literacy and free enterprise. A former teacher, principal and superintendent, Hunsinger wrote “Down and Dirty: A ‘How To’ Math Book.” Reach Hunsinger at phyllis@free-dom.us.com. For more information about the FREE Foundation, log on to the website located at www.free-dom.us.com.
This year we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the U.S. Small Business Administration and recognize the tremendous work the agency does to power the American dream of entrepreneurship.
For 70 years, the SBA has empowered Colorado entrepreneurs with the resources and support they need to start and grow their business. The SBA is a cabinet-level agency that ensures the interests of small businesses are represented in Congress and the Oval Office and the only independent voice of small business backed by the collective power and resources of the federal government.
In Colorado, the SBA has a rich and long history of supporting thousands of businesses with capital, business training, federal contract support and disaster assistance. Such companies as Otterbox, Snooze A.M. Eatery, New Belgium Brewery, Hammonds Candies and The Fort Restaurant all received SBA assistance during the start-up stages of their development.
The creation of the SBA was largely a response to the pressures of the Great Depression and World War II. The agency got its formal start on July 30, 1953, after President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Small Business Act into law. From its inception, the SBA mission has been to aid, counsel, assist and protect, insofar as is possible, the interests of small business concerns. The SBA also is charged with ensuring small businesses earn a fair proportion of government contracts and sales of surplus property.
The Joe Biden administration put small business at the forefront of the historic investing in America agenda, which includes modernizing SBA programs and resources, expanding networks and increasing access to capital and contracting so more entrepreneurs benefit from our national investments in infrastructure and green energy spending. Over the last 30 months, the SBA has fostered a remarkable small business boom, pivoting from delivering pandemic aid to launching innovative initiatives that advance its equity plan to expanding access to capital for entrepreneurs in underserved and historically marginalized communities.
The agency’s equity plan establishes a goal to improve access to capital for underserved communities, including businesses owned by women, minorities, veterans and those in rural communities; expand access to federal procurement and contracting opportunities; provide support and expanded access to disaster assistance; and increase access to business counseling, training and services to businesses in communities needing a boost. The agency is well on its way to accomplishing these goals to create a more equitable and sustainable economy supported by small businesses.
For seven decades, the SBA has linked entrepreneurs to the funding, counseling and mentorship they need to succeed. The SBA has also connected small firms to opportunities for federal contracts and remains ready to provide low-interest loans to businesses and homeowners affected by declared disasters. Since 1953, SBA approved an estimated $2 trillion in non-disaster related small business lending and assisted nearly 3 million entrepreneurs through training and counseling. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA dispersed a total of more than $1.3 trillion in disaster economic aid to 13 million businesses nationwide.
Small businesses are the innovators and job creators in our communities. They employ half our nation’s workforce and create two thirds of all net new jobs in the private sector. These businesses give neighborhoods their character, sponsor our Little League teams and place ads in local high school yearbooks. In times of trouble or tragedy, it’s often our small business owners that step up to meet the needs of their neighbors.
We celebrate the 70th anniversary of the SBA and reflect on the agency’s mission and seven-decade legacy of powering the American dream.
Aikta Marcoulier serves as the U.S. Small Business Administration Region VIII administrator. She oversees SBA programs and services in Colorado as well as Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. Frances Padilla serves as the SBA Colorado District director and oversees programs and services across the state. For more information, visit www.sba.gov or follow the agency on Twitter @SBArockymtn and @SBA_Colorado.
Since CBDCs can be programmed to impose restrictions on the use of money, citizens will no longer enjoy economic or political freedom.
70-year history of helping America’s small businesses something worth celebratingAikta Marcoulier Frances Padilla
A grand opening celebration is planned for a new location for Home Loan State Bank branch in Montrose.
The celebration is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 18 at 1440 Encanto Place. The location also serves as a retail outlet for Enstrom Candies.
“We are excited to be in our new location at 1440 Encanto Place and look forward to celebrating our grand opening with our existing and future customers,” said Mark Harmon, president of the Montrose branch. “Home Loan State Bank strives to give back to our community, and it’s our small way of saying thank you to all of you who have made this possible.”
Jamie Hamilton, chief executive officer of Home Loan, said the success of the 125-yearold organization is based on relationships.
“We are extremely pleased to partner with Enstrom Candies to bring our services and their products closer to the Montrose community. We are very pleased with our leadership team and associates in Montrose who are great community members.”
For more information about Home Loan State Bank, log on to www.hlsb.com.
Reservations are available for a series of four-course peachinspired dinners paired with Grand Valley wines and beers. After dinner parties also are planned.
Dango Burrito will join with Sauvage Spectrum and Palisade Brewing Companies to present the Freedom of Peach dinners at 6 p.m. Aug. 16, 17 and 18 at the Purple Bee Wine Bar located at 213 Main St. in Palisade.
Tickets sell for $80 and include four courses of food and wine and beer pairings. Additional drinks will be available for purchase, as will late night snacks from Dango Burrito. Reservations must be purchased in advance at www.dangoburito.com.
After-dinner parties will start at 8 p.m. and feature live music — Tim + Richard on Aug. 16, Handbrake Hero on Aug. 17 and the PB&J Jazz Band on Aug. 18. The parties are free and open to the public.
Dango Burrito is a locally owned and family operated mobile food restaurant located on the patio next to Purple Bee. The restaurant uses ingredients from the family farm as well as other local farmers.
The Business Times welcomes submissions for free publication in Business Briefs. Email items to phil@thebusinesstimes.com or submit a news release online at www.thebusinesstimes.com.
A Grand Junction-based company continues to rank among the 300 largest public accounting firms in the United States in an annual list compiled for a national newsletter.
DWC CPAs and Advisors is included in the Top 300 Firms ranking compiled for Inside Public Accounting. The firm has made the list for nine years.
“We are again pleased to be recognized as a Top 300 public accounting firm,” said Chris West, chief executive officer of DWC. “Ultimately, we aspire to be a Top 100 firm. We are expanding our services through strategic partnerships and hiring top-level talent to advance our expertise and provide comprehensive guidance with advisory and planning in addition to our core services of tax, client accounting services, audit and wealth advisory. We are grateful to our clients, employees and communities for helping us come so far.”
The ranking is based on financial and operational surveys. DWC ranked 262nd with nearly $17.3 million in net revenue. DWC CPAs and Advisors operates the largest public accounting firm headquartered in Western Colorado. For more information, call 243-1921 or visit www.DWCAdvisors.com.
The Smoke ‘N’ CEO in Grand Junction was among six food trucks from across Colorado selected to compete in the Governor’s Plate competition set for Aug. 29 at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo. Competitors must be members of the Colorado Proud program and use locally grown, raised and processed foods and agricultural products. Each truck will prepare and serve 500 sample-sized portions of their signature dishes.
Smoke ‘N’ CEO will serve a green chili slider smash burger made with green chilies from Pueblo and beef from a Grand Junction ranch where cattle are fed with spent grain from a local brewery. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis will award the Governor’s Plate to the winning truck. Attendees will vote on the People’s Choice Award. For tickets or more information, log on to the website at https://coloradostatefair.com/governors-plate.
Proposals will be accepted through Sept. 15 to create three outdoor murals at Eagle Rim Skate Park in Grand Junction.
Artists should email proposals, including the desired location of their murals, to Jonathan Wheatley, arts and culture supervisor for the City of Grand Junction, at jonathanw@gjcity.org.
The Grand Junction Commission on Arts and Culture will select the artists to complete the murals, which must be installed
between Sept. 24 and Oct. 2 at the park, 2746 Cheyenne Drive. Painting at Eagle Rim Park occurs each year as part of efforts to offer more public art space and improve user experiences. For more information about the call for artwork or Eagle Rim Skate Park, send an email to gjparksandrec@gjcity.org or call (970) 254-3866. F
St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction has earned an A for its efforts in providing patient care and achieving cost efficiency while avoiding overuse.
The Lown Institute awarded St. Mary’s its top grade in its latest national hospital index.
“St. Mary’s Medical Center caregivers exhibit the highest level of skill when caring for our patients, and they do it with compassion,” said St. Mary’s President Bryan Johnson. “I’m pleased that they are receiving this important recognition.”
St. Mary’s received A grades for clinical and patient outcomes, cost efficiency, patient safety and value of care as well as avoiding overuse. St. Mary’s also was named a top hospital for fair share spending.
“When communities have access to socially responsible health care, our nation grows stronger,” said Dr. Vikas Saini, president of the Lown Institute. “That’s why it’s so important to hold up these high-performing hospitals as examples for others to follow.”
The Lown Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, based the Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility on metrics that included patient outcomes, health equity and value of care. In the fourth annual and largest set of rankings to date, the 2023- 2024 Lown Index evaluated hospitals on more than 50 measures using information from hospital cost reports, Medicare claims, patient safety data and tax forms.
St. Mary’s Hospital is part of Intermountain Health, a system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics and medical groups with a total of 3,900 providers in six states. For more information, visit https://intermountainhealthcare.org.
Drs. Madison Keenan and Sarah Zhou have joined Western Colorado Pediatrics. Jordan Knickerbocker, a certified nurse practitioner, also has joined the practice.
Cassidy Sanders, a physician assistant, has joined Red Canyon Family Medicine.
Western Colorado Pediatrics and Red Canyon Family Medicine are divisions of Primary Care Partners in Grand Junction.
Keenan received her medical degree from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and completed her residency at Children’s Hospital in Denver.
Zhou received her medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and completed her residency at the McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University in Chicago.
Knickerbocker received a master’s in nursing degree from Colorado Mesa University and completed her postgraduate primary care pediatric nurse practitioner education from the University of Colorado.
Sanders received a master’s of physician assistance studies at the University of Utah School of Medicine and a doctorate of medical science degree at A.T. Still University.
Western Colorado Pediatrics operates offices at 3150 N. 12th St. in Grand Junction and 456 Kokopelli Blvd., Unit D, in Fruita. Red Canyon Family Medicine operates offices at 455 Kokopelli Blvd., Unit C, in Fruita. For more information about Western Colorado Pediatrics, call (970) 243-5437. For more information about Red Canyon Family Medicine, call (970) 256-2582. Additional information also is available at www.pcpgj.com.
The Business Times welcomes submissions for free publication in Business People and the Almanac calendar of events. Email submissions to phil@thebusinesstimes.com or submit a news release online at www.thebusinesstimes.com.
Kristin Lynch, the director of development and legacy giving with the Western Colorado Community Foundation in Grand Junction, has received designation as a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy.
The credential affirms nonprofit and financial professionals have mastered the financial details involved in various forms of charitable giving. Lynch passed exams to demonstrate her knowledge and also pledged to practice ethnically and in the best interests of the people she serves. She must complete continued education to retain the designation.
The Western Colorado Community Foundation serves seven counties in the region, managing more than 330 charitable funds and a combined $150 million in assets. The foundation awards a total of $5.5 million in grants and scholarships each year.
For more information about the foundation, visit the website at https://wc-cf.org.
Toni Heiden was honored as the top agent for July at Heiden Homes Realty in Grand Junction.
Heiden, the owner of firm, posted the most closed transactions and highest dollar volume in sales.
Heiden Homes Realty operates offices at 735 Rood Ave. For more information, call 245-7777 or log on to www.heidenhomes.com.
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Dr. David Dreitlein has joined MarillacHealth as chief medical officer of the Grand Junctionbased organization.
Dreitlein will build and maintain a team of clinical leaders and staff to provide medical and behavioral health care as well as consult on complex cases.
He brings to his new role more than 20 years of experience as an emergency physician, emergency department director and chief of staff. He’s also worked as a physician in Nepal
and served in medical leadership roles with the national parks system in the United States. He holds undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Colorado. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at Brown University.
MarillacHealth provides a range of health care services to low income, uninsured and underinsured residents of Mesa County. For more information, visit www.MarillacHealth.org. F
Aug. 10
n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5 to 7:30 p.m., Colorado Flight Center, 800 Heritage Way, Grand Junction. Admission $5 for members, $10 for others. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org
Aug. 15
n Presentation on cash flow budgets for small business startups, noon to 1 p.m., Business Incubator Center, 2591 Legacy Way, Grand Junction. 243-5242 or https://gjincubator.org
Aug. 16
n Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado economic summit, 9 am. to 4:45 p.m., Grand River Hospital Conference Center, 501 Airport Road, Rifle. Admission $75, which includes lunch. https://agnc.org or (970) 665-1095
n Western Colorado Human Resource Association monthly meeting and presentation on reasonable suspicion, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mesa County Workforce Center, 512 29 1/2 Road, Grand Junction. WCHRA members attend at no additional charge. Guests pay $20. www.wchra.org
Aug. 18
n Free Coffee Club networking meeting and presentation by Mesa County rancher Janie VanWinkle, 9 to 10 a.m., FWorks conference room, 325 E. Aspen Ave., Fruita. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org
Aug. 22
n Western Slope Young Professionals Summit, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Colorado Mesa University Center, Grand Junction. Admission $75 per person, $350 for five. https://gjchamber.org or 243-5242
Upcoming
n Welcome Thursday Friends free networking group, noon to 1 p.m. Aug. 24, Camilla’s Kaffe, 206 E. Aspen Ave., Fruita. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894
n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 29, Timberline Bank, 649 Market St. Admission $10 in advance, $12 at the door. https://gjchamber.org or 242-3214
n Maker meetup, 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 4, GJmakerspace at the Business Incubator Center. 243-5242 or https://gjincubator.org
n Business startup workshop, 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 7, Business Incubator Center. Admission $55. 243-5242 or https://gjincubator.org
n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Networking at Noon, noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 13, Edgewater Brewery, 905 Struthers Ave. Admission $20 for chamber members, $25 for others. 242-3214 or https://gjchamber.org
n Leading Edge business planning and management course, 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 20 to Dec. 6, Business Incubator Center. Admission $275, $100 for each additional participants from the same business. 243-5242 or https://gjincubator.org
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n REAL ESTATE AGENT RECEIVES WHO’S WHO AWARD FROM COLORADO MESA UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Derek Irick, an agent with Bray & Co. Real Estate in Grand Junction, was honored as the recipient of the Colorado Mesa University Alumni Association 2023 Young Alumni Who’s Who Award.
Irick received four degrees at CMU. In addition to his contributions to the university, he serves on the boards of the HopeWest NextGen Board, Young Professionals Network and Western Slope Center for Children.
Since 2020, Irick has assisted more than 130 families with their real estate needs. He received the Best of the West residential real estate agent three years in a row.
Ana Noriega has joined the Tyler Harris Team at Bray & Co. Real Estate based in Grand Junction.
“I am very excited to have Ana joined our team,” said Tyler Harris, team leader. “She is going to bring a lot of value to our clients across the Western Slope, and we are thrilled to have her.”
Noriega said she’s dedicated to matching clients with the right properties for their needs. “I believe that a home is more than just a place to live. It’s a haven, a space where memories are made and cherished.”
Bray & Co. offers a range of services in real estate, property management and construction. For more information, call 242-3647 or visit www.brayandco.com.
